SRC-SLL H.B. 1881 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1881 By: Oakley (Madla) Intergovernmental Relations 5-10-97 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, there are no law enforcement management training provisions for police chiefs. In order to provide a police chief with the law enforcement management skills needed as an administrator, new courses of initial training and continuing education need to be developed. This bill will provide regulations regarding the initial training and continuing education for police chiefs. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1881 provides regulations regarding the initial training and continuing education for police chiefs. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas in SECTION 1 (Section 96.641(e), Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 96D, Education Code, by adding Section 96.641, as follows: Sec. 96.641. INITIAL TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR POLICE CHIEFS. Requires the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (institute) to establish and offer a program of initial training and a program of continuing education for police chiefs. Requires the curriculum for each program to relate to law enforcement management issues. Requires the institute to develop the curriculum for the programs. Requires the curriculum to be approved by the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (commission). Sets forth requirements for initial and continuing training for police chiefs. Authorizes the institute, by rule, to provide for the waiver of certain requirements. Provides that an individual who is subject to the continuing education requirements of Subsection (b) is exempt from other continuing education requirements under Section 415.034, Government Code. Defines "police chief" and "chief." Requires the chief of a municipal police department to be licensed as a peace officer by the commission no later than one year after the date that the chief is appointed to the position of police chief. Requires the commission to establish requirements for licensing and for revocation, suspension, cancellation, or denial of peace officer license for a police chief. Provides that a police chief who does not comply with this section cannot continue to be the chief. SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1997. (b) Requires the institute to establish the initial training and continuing education programs required by Section 96.641, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998. (c) Provides that Section 96.641(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, requiring not fewer than 80 hours of initial training for newly appointed or elected police chiefs applies only to an individual newly appointed or elected as police chief on or after January 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.